Half to charles b



(No Model.)

A. G. SNELL. PARASOL RUNNER.

Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 5

ADOLPHUS G. SNELL, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES B. JONES, OF SAME PLACE.

PARASOL-RUN N ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,565, dated September 4, 1894.

Application filed March 24, 1894- Berlal No. 504,977. (No model.)

Figure 1, a view in perspective showing a runner provided witha shield constructed in accordance with my invention, and applied to a 3o1nted parasol standard; Fig. 2, a broken vlew partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the position of the shleld when the parasol is raised; Fig. 3, a detached, broken plan and sectional view of the runner and shield, and the lower member of the standard; Fig. 4:, a broken view partly in longitudinal section, showing the outer end of the upper member of the parasol standard,

the parasol tip and the outer slotted head to which the outer ends of the ribs are pivotally attached; Fig. 5, a detached plan view of the said head; Fig. 6, a perspective view of one of the modified forms which the shield may assume; Fig. 7, a broken view of a childs carriage shown as provided with an inside parasol standard of the type with which my invention is employed. r

My invention relates to an improvement in para sol runners designed to be used-in connect on with jointed parasol standards, and particularly to that class which support the parasol from the inside instead of from the outside, the object being to provide simple and eifective means for protecting the fingers and gloves while the parasolis being raised and lowered.

With these ends in view,my inventionconslsts in providing the outer end of a parasol runner with a shield for protecting the fingers, the said shield consisting of a hand piece extending laterally and longitudinally beyond the runner.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I provide the outer end of the runner A, which may be of any approved construction, with a shield, which may take-diflferent forms, but which will extend longitudinally and laterally beyond the said end of the runner. As shown in Figs. 1,2 and 30f the drawings, the shield consists of a hand-piece B, and an elastic retaining-tube B, the said hand-piece being made from a single piece of heavy sheetmetal bent to form an intermediate bearing portion extending laterally with respect to the runner and tube, and two corresponding inwardly bowed finger-pieces standing opposite each other, and extending longitudinally beyond theouter end of the runner, and the said tube, which is applied to the center of the inner face of the intermediate bearing portion of the hand-piece, being made elastic by constructing it with a longitudinal slit b, and a transverse slit 1), intersected by the longitudinal slit. This tube is located in line with a circular opening 12 formed in the intermediate bearing portion of the handpiece, and adapted in diameter to fit snugly within the outer end of the runner, from which it may be removed at pleasure, but

sufficient friction is developed between it and the runner to hold it in place when in use. I do not limit myself to making the shield as described, nor to connecting it removably with the outer end of the runner, though I prefer that construction, as itenables-me to apply theshield to independently made-runners of ordinary form, but I might dispense with the tube, and permanently connect the hand-piece with the outer end of the runner. The parasol-rodor standard comprises a bent lower member C, which is attached at its lower end to the carriage, and a short straight I upper member 'C' to the upper end of which the parasol Dis applied, the upper end of the lower member C, and the lower end of the upper member 0' being jointed together in theusual manner, as at E, by slotting one piece, and constructing the other to'form a tongue adapted to enter the said slot, and uniting the two by a pivot e. The runner is adapted in diameter, in the usual manner,to slide freely on these two members of the standard.

When the parasol is closed, it occupies a horizontal position, with the short upper member of the standard in line with the horizontal upper end of the lower member thereof. Then in order to raise the parasol into posinon for use, the runner A must be pushed beyond the joint E,uniting the two members of the standard, after which the upper memher is raised into a vertical position in which it is retained, as these parasols are ordinarily constructed, by the engagement of the lower edge of the runner with the upper face of the extreme upper end of the lower member of the standard. In carrying the runner beyond the joint, and then in lifting the upper member of the standard into right position, the fingers are very apt to be caught and pinched in the joint, and moreover it is difficult to manipulate the device as described without soiling the gloves. Under my inventlon, however, the shield is clasped by the fingers, which are thereby held away from both members of the standard in such a manner that it is impossible for the fingers to come in contact with the joint. Then when the runner has been carried beyond the joint and the upper member of the standard elevated into a vertical position, the intermediate bearing portion of the hand-piece of the shield is pressed down by the tension of the parasol ribs acting through the medium of the runner, upon the upper face of the extreme upper end of the lower member of the standard, whereby a wide bearing is secured for holding the parasol in its proper open positlon. By means of my improved shield, therefore, the parasol is safely and readily manipulated, and firmly held in its open position. Then when the parasol is brought back into its horizontal position and closed, the shield again protects the fingers of the hand.

It will be apparent that for the convenient use of a parasol provided with a shield constructed in accordance with my invention, the parasol must be held from rotation on its standard, for otherwise the opening of the shield cannot be maintained in the same plane with the joint between the two members of the standard, and that relation is obviously necessary to permit the outer member of the standard to be raised and lowered. I prefer therefore to secure the parasol against rotation. As herein shown, I attain that end by constructing the head F to which the outer ends of the umbrella ribs D are pivotally applied, with a square central opening F, which adapts the head to fit down over four bevels 0, located at the base of the threaded outer end 0' of the outer member 0 of the parasol standard, the said threaded end 0', receiving the parasol tip G which forms a fin ish for the outer end of the parasol, and holds the head F in place. The ribs D are pivotally connected in the usual manner with the outer ends of the parasol supports D the inner ends of which are pivoted in the usual manner, to the slotted collar H, secured to the inner end of the runner which carries my improved shield, which is thus prevented from rotation on the parasol standard through the medium of the slotted collar H, the supports D the ribs D, and the slotted ribholding head F, which is held from rotation on the outer member of the standard.

Aside from maintaining the shield in right relation to the joint of the parasol standard, it is desirable to prevent the parasol from rotation, not only for the sake of appearance and the comfort of the tender occupant of the carriage, but also because the rotation of the parasol is liable to cause the parasol-tip to work loose and come off.

I do not limit myself to constructing the shield in any particular manner. Thus, if desired, it might be made of two rings I I, of wire, held apart by transverse webs J J, and secured to a short tube K, having its outer end split and reduced in diameter to adapt it to be inserted into the outer end of a runner, the inner end of the tube being inserted between and secured to the rings at opposite points thereon. Nor do I limit myself to the particular means shown and described for preventing the rotation of the parasol so as to maintain the shield in right relation to the joint between the two members of the standard, for other means than those shown might be employed for the same purpose. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A parasol runner, provided at its outer end with a shield for protecting the fingers, the said shield consisting of a hand-piece extendinglaterally and longitudinally beyond the runner, substantially as described.

2. A parasol runner, provided at its outer end with a shield extending laterally and lougitudinally beyond it for protecting the fingers, and removable from the runner, substantially as described.

3. A parasol runner provided at its outer end with a removable shield for protecting the fingers, said shield consisting of a hand piece extending laterallyand lo ugitudinally beyond the said end of the runner, and an elastic tube adapted to be removably engaged with the runner, substantially as described.

4. In a parasol, the combination, with a parasol -standard, comprising an upper and a lower member jointed together, of a parasol proper mounted upon the outer end of the upper member of the standard, means applied to the extreme outer end of the upper mem ber of the standard to prevent the parasol from rotating thereupon, a runner connected with the parasol and sliding upon the two members of the said standard, and a shield for protecting the fingers, located at the outer end of the runner and held in right relation to the joint of the arasol-standard by the 5 means employed to prevent the paras'ol from rotation.

5. The combination with a parasol-standard comprisinga lower member having its upper end bent horizontally, and a short upper 10 member jointed at its lower end to the upper end of the lower member, of a runner mounted upon the said standard, and provided at its outer end with a shield extending laterally and longitudinally beyond it, for protecting r 5 the fingers, a circular slotted rib-holding head,

ing witnesses.

ADOLPHUS G. SNELL.

Witnesses:

FRED C. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY. 

